Names mixed up

MANILA, Philippines - My family and I are aggrieved parties to a malicious, inaccurate news report that was printed in your paper, circulated nationwide and posted online. The reporter, Artemio Dumlao, who is also moonlighting as Ace Alegre in the Baguio SunStar referred to me in the news report as a “former practicing homosexual”. This is a lie because the person who confessed that during a rally against same sex marriage in Baguio is a different person and the confession was witnessed by other media practitioners covering the event. That person was identified as Pastor Manny. He is the “former practicing homosexual” identified in a separate story in Sun Star Baguio by Ace Alegre. Pastor Manny confessed he was a former practicing homosexual during the anti same sex marriage rally.

I am in the forefront of opposing same sex marriage in Baguio City and was made a spokesperson by the city’s ecumenical and multi-sectoral groups opposing it. I see the malicious news report in The Philippine STAR as an affront to my person and my family. The reporter should have checked his facts because he, together with other media correspondents witnessed the rally where Pastor Manny confessed he was a former practicing homosexual.

The story was a second page banner headline in The Philippine STAR and its online edition generated a lot of comments as if the facts the paper presented were true. This is a case of deliberate, irresponsible journalism that doesn’t respect the truth nor accuracy of the facts. The lie that was published seems to have been orchestrated to discredit and weaken our advocacy against same sex marriage. But I will continue to stand in the gap and will continue to stand up for what is right for my children and my city. This statement is without prejudice to all legal options available against the malicious news report and those responsible for it.